confuse
verb
con·fuse kən-ˈfyüz 
confused; confusing
transitive verb
1
: to disturb in mind or purpose : throw off
The directions she gave confused us.
2
a
: to make indistinct : blur
Stop confusing the issue.
b
: to fail to differentiate from an often similar or related other
confuse money with comfort
Do not confuse the words "flaunt" and "flout".
c
: to mix indiscriminately : jumble
Their arms, legs, and bodies were confused together, till they resembled … two serpents interlaced.
Thomas Medwin
Thomas Medwin3
: to make embarrassed : abash
4
archaic : to bring to ruin
confusingly
kən-ˈfyü-ziŋ-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- addle
- baffle
- bamboozle
- beat
- befog
- befuddle
- bemuse
- bewilder
- buffalo
- confound
- discombobulate
- disorient
- flummox
- fox
- fuddle
- get
- gravel
- maze
- muddle
- muddy
- mystify
- perplex
- pose
- puzzle
- vex
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
The general was trying to confuse the enemy. The new evidence only confused matters further. You must be confusing me with someone else.
Recent Examples on the Web People confuse the issue of low wages versus low family incomes. David Neumark, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Those little arrow logos, Baldwin said, confuse the issue. Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2022 Place dipping sauces on a platter with the chicken tenders—that way, no one will confuse them as potato toppers. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2022 Untrained eyes might confuse this particular Benz with a run-of-the-mill 300 CE—a fine, but commonplace car that can be readily sourced in the second-hand market. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 Bad air can confuse birds, potentially steering them into the flames instead of to safety. Wired, 28 July 2022 Identifying native flowers is relatively easy — most of us won’t confuse a coneflower with a rose — but classifying native shrubs and bushes is another matter entirely. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 12 July 2022 After shrugging off Whyte’s attempt to confuse him by turning southpaw in the first round, Fury relied on his smarts, movement and activity to deflate the challenger as Whyte averaged less than five landed punches per round. Lance Pugmire, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2022 In another discussion, Russian soldiers appear to confuse one another by mistaking their callsigns. Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022 See More
David Neumark, WSJ, 15 Aug. 2022 Those little arrow logos, Baldwin said, confuse the issue. Susan Dunne, Hartford Courant, 11 Aug. 2022 Place dipping sauces on a platter with the chicken tenders—that way, no one will confuse them as potato toppers. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Aug. 2022 Untrained eyes might confuse this particular Benz with a run-of-the-mill 300 CE—a fine, but commonplace car that can be readily sourced in the second-hand market. Basem Wasef, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 Bad air can confuse birds, potentially steering them into the flames instead of to safety. Wired, 28 July 2022 Identifying native flowers is relatively easy — most of us won’t confuse a coneflower with a rose — but classifying native shrubs and bushes is another matter entirely. Susan Brownstein, cleveland, 12 July 2022 After shrugging off Whyte’s attempt to confuse him by turning southpaw in the first round, Fury relied on his smarts, movement and activity to deflate the challenger as Whyte averaged less than five landed punches per round. Lance Pugmire, USA TODAY, 24 Apr. 2022 In another discussion, Russian soldiers appear to confuse one another by mistaking their callsigns. Washington Post, 18 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English confusen, back-formation from confused "frustrated, ruined," participle based on Anglo-French confus, borrowed from Latin confūsus, past participle of confundere "to pour together, blend, bring into disorder, destroy, disconcert" — more at confound
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4
Kids Definition
confuse
verb
con·fuse kən-ˈfyüz
confused; confusing
1
: to make uncertain or unable to understand : perplex
The directions confused me and I got lost.
2
: to fail to tell apart
Teachers always confused the twins.
confuse
verb
1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- bewilder
- perplex
- baffle
- puzzle
- befuddle
- embarrass
- mystify
- confound
- bemuse
- disorient
- bother
- muddle
- disturb
- vex
- fluster
- bamboozle
- stun
- upset
- rattle
- pose
- discombobulate
- flummox
- maze
- fuddle
- muddy
- get
- addle
- buffalo
- fox
- unsettle
- befog
- gravel
- beat
- mislead
- blow one's mind
- deceive
- stick
- disconcert
- agitate
- discomfit
- delude
- distress
- faze
- fool
- misguide
- mortify
- dismay
- stump
- perturb
- go to one's head
- trick
- nonplus
- discomfort
- chagrin
- unhinge
- beguile
- discountenance
- abash
- weird out
- hoodwink
- disquiet
- dupe
- discompose
- hoax
- humbug
- gull
- cozen
- snow
- take in
- string along
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- assure
- satisfy
- inform
- reassure
- enlighten
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts Synonyms & Similar Words
- complicate
- obfuscate
- blur
- muddy
- disrupt
- upset
- becloud
- fog
- cloud
- perplex
- befog
- tangle
- disturb
- muddle
- snarl
- scramble
- jumble
- disarrange
- disorder
- sophisticate
- entangle
- disarray
- shuffle
- discompose
- tousle
- dishevel
- mix (up)
- mess (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- clarify
- simplify
- illuminate
- clear (up)
- streamline
- unravel
- disentangle
- analyze
- decipher
- straighten (out)
- undo
- decode
- untangle
- unscramble
- break down
3
as in to mistake
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement Synonyms & Similar Words
- mistake
- conflate
- confound
- misidentify
- misname
- misapply
- mix (up)
- miscall
- lump (together)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- difference
- distinguish
- differentiate
- separate
- discriminate
4
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal Synonyms & Similar Words
- embarrass
- fluster
- bother
- confound
- disturb
- rattle
- upset
- unsettle
- faze
- disconcert
- mortify
- humiliate
- discomfit
- distress
- nonplus
- discomfort
- dismay
- abash
- perturb
- shame
- discountenance
- agitate
- chagrin
- disquiet
- demean
- degrade
- humble
- unhinge
- debase
- put off
- discompose
- queer
- put out
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- relieve
- encourage
- soothe
- comfort
- calm
- assure
- console
- reassure
- cheer
- embolden
- hearten
- buoy
5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files Synonyms & Similar Words
- disrupt
- disturb
- shuffle
- upset
- muddle
- disorganize
- jumble
- disarrange
- scramble
- disorder
- derange
- disarray
- dislocate
- discompose
- snarl
- tangle
- unsettle
- tousle
- disjoint
- muss
- hash
- embroil
- clutter
- dishevel
- perturb
- tumble
- entangle
- rumple
- mix (up)
- agitate
- mess (up)
- stir (up)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- regulate
- order
- organize
- dispose
- arrange
- classify
- align
- straighten (up)
- array
- range
- adjust
- line
- codify
- line up
- tidy
- marshal
- systematize
- fix
- marshall
- queue
- make up
- aline
- draw up
- methodize
- systemize
- unscramble
- groom
- spruce (up)